Lasting memorial to pitmen at National Coal Mining Museum

MINERS who lost their lives while working down the pit will be forever remembered.

The National Coal Mining Museum for England is to create a Miners’ Memorial Garden to commemorate those who died while mining or later through mining related diseases.

It will be built on an open grassed area at the museum’s Hope Pit at Caphouse Colliery, New Road, Overton.

And this week a campaign was launched to get donations for the project, which is being backed by city MP Mary Creagh.

Ms Creagh said: “Next March will mark the 40th anniversary of the Lofthouse disaster.

“Seven miners died that day when the pit was flooded and six of the men have never been recovered, so this memorial garden will be a really beautiful tribute to them and to all who have lost their lives. A place to reflect on people’s lives, a place to enjoy the natural world and remember the sacrifices of the men, women and children who worked in the mines.

“Mining is still a national and international industry and if we want any proof that mining is a brotherhood we can see it on the letters pages of the Wakefield Express when the 33 miners were trapped down the mine in Chile.

“I know from talking to people and from looking at the papers the way that people who have been miners were living every step, every day of that disaster with those men, and they felt the joy and the relief when they finally were pulled to the surface after that terrible incident.

“We’ve got thousands of visitors coming here every year, hundreds of children going on the underground tour and I look forward to future generations visiting the garden.

“Just like the memorial that stands on Batley Road, this will be a living monument to those who have lost their lives.”

The garden is planned to open in summer 2014 and will be designed as a place for quiet contemplation and reflection, allowing visitors to share their memories.

To get involved with the development or to make a contribution to the appeal, contact Sally Hawksworth on 01924 848806 or by email sally.hawksworth@ncm.org.uk